Lower speed limit proposed for Tamarack Drive
Drivers may soon have to slow down on Tamarack Drive in Porter Creek.
City of Whitehorse administration is proposing a speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour for the neighborhood street after residents called for “traffic calming” measures in the area. The current speed limit is 50 km/h.
City staff collected data, observed traffic on the street and spoke with property owners to look at the issue of speeding on the road, it was highlighted in a report to council.
City engineer Taylor Eshpeter brought forward the recommendation for the reduced speed from the city’s traffic committee, noting greater compliance is anticipated for a 40 km/h speed limit than a 30 km/h limit “considering the roadway dimensions and geometry”.
Along with the recommendation for Tamarack Drive is another amendment to the traffic bylaw that would outline the 30 km/h speed limit for all streets in Takhini North to match the posted signs in the neighbourhood.
Council will vote at its April 8 meeting.
Community Cleanup Policy could change
Local groups taking part in the city’s community cleanup program could see some changes to the City of Whitehorse policy that governs it.
The program serves as a fundraiser for non-profits which do cleanup work throughout the city in the spring. Groups are paid $300 for each section that is cleared of litter.
Under the proposed changes, participating groups would be required to identify an adult supervisor in charge. Another section of the policy would also be deleted that requires a minimum of 30 person hours for litter pickup.
Rather than hours worked, the city would base its payment to groups on “satisfactory completion of the cleanup of the assigned section as determined by an inspection by city staff” it was stated in a report to council.
Council will vote on whether to alter the policy at its April 8 meeting.
City preps seasonal contracts
Three contract awards are being proposed as City of Whitehorse officials get ready for the summer season and plan ahead for next winter.
Among them, the $63,000 contract for line painting to city streets would be sole sourced to the Yukon government after the city received no responses to an expression of interest released in January.
“Indications from vendors is that their pricing would not be favourable due to substantial mobilization costs,” Richard Graham, the city’s operations manager, told council. “The Yukon government has previously been sole sourced this work as they are the only provider located in the Yukon for this specific service.”
Moving on to mosquito season, Duka Environmental Ltd. would be awarded the three-year mosquito control contract for $228,516.
Two bids came into the city for the work aimed at reducing the mosquito population in Whitehorse. Duka, however, had the only compliant bid.
Finally, as city crews wrap up another winter season clearing and sanding city streets, officials are also getting ready for the 2019/2020 winter season with a recommendation that Skookum Asphalt be awarded a $209,000 contract for the supply of 16,000 tonnes of sand and Canadian Lynden Transport Co. be awarded the $178,333 contract for the supply of 500 tonnes of road salt.
Skookum and Canadian Lyndon Transport were the only companies to bid on the winter road maintenance supply contracts.
Council will vote April 8 on each of the contracts.
Contact Stephanie Waddell at stephanie.waddell@yukon-news.com
